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The family of a North San Juan man, who died after rolling his vehicle off the side of the road just outside that town, had been notified of his death by Sunday, according to the Sacramento branch of the California Highway Patrol.

Cody Edwards, 21, reportedly succumbed to his injuries shortly after rolling his car off 0f Highway 49 Saturday morning, according to the CHP and the North San Juan Fire District.

Passing motorists reportedly found Edwards climbing up a hillside away from his heavily damaged 1990 Suzuki Swift, which had collided with at least two trees as it tumbled down the embankment shortly after 8:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the CHP.

“He managed to extricate himself from the vehicle,” said North San Juan fireman Boyd Johnson. “There were some passersby caring for him when we arrived.”

CHP reported Edwards was not wearing a seat belt and suffered significant head and face trauma.

Responding emergency personnel transported Edwards to the North San Juan Fire Station, located at 13200 Tyler Foote Road, where he was transferred to a medical helicopter that took him to Grass Valley’s Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital. Edwards was pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m. Saturday by hospital personnel, according to the CHP.

The cause of Edwards driving off the roadway remained uncertain as of press time, according to the CHP. After driving at a undetermined rate of speed off the roadway south of North Heesche Avenue, the Suzuki’s right front end collided into a large pine tree, spun clockwise and rolled onto its left side until its roof impacted another large tree, stopping its descent, according to the CHP’s incident report.

“It was a steep embankment,” Johnson said. “The vehicle was caught in trees.”

Along with local members of the CHP and North San Juan Fire, members of California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection responded to the scene Saturday, as did the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and a Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital ground ambulance. Highway 49 was closed down for an hour due to the emergency response, according to North San Juan Fire.